ODP: Re: Question about cavalry charges

["Tomaszek"]

Dear Tim, Dear John, Dear All :)

It is - I think last of my "examples" letter, written a bit for my own fun,
but I think You will like it (I hope so...)

1st. in the year 1939, in September, Polish cavalry a some times charged
against German units. There is a few examples of charging the German
_cavalry_ units (Yes - not only Poles used horses those times)... examples
below:

1. during the battle of Mokra (1st of September 1939) 1st & 3rd squadrons of
the 19th regiment of Wolynian Uhlans charged the units of 4th Panzer
Division. During the attack lances were used, enemy was surprised and fled
in disperse... (I do not really know if the cavalry were there, I give this
example because of lances)

2. in the "Royal Forests" near the border with Germany (then Ost Prussien,
today - north of Poland) - between Janow & Krzynowloga Mala Patrol of 11.
Regiment of Legion Uhlans spotted and shortly after that charged at larger
unknown German cavalry unit, which was doing the reconnaissance mission.
Germans formed line, received charge, and started fight. Poles charged using
sabers & lances but did not wanted to engage in a longer fight worrying of
both German air and panzer units, withdraw without any loses... it was also
1st of September.

3. 2nd of September near Borowa 1st squadron of Wolynian Uhlans charged on a
squadron of German Division cavalry. Enemy left the village of Borowa
without engaging in combat...

4. 23rd of September at Krasnobrod 1st squadron of 25th regiment of Great
Poland uhlans after charging up the hill, receiving heavy losses, forcing to
escape large subunit of German cavalry, and loosing the commander
(lieutenant Tadeusz Gerlecki) took as a prisoners all the staff &
headquarters of the 8th Infantry Division...


That's all for those specific examples :) but I must add in addition that
during the Second World War large cavalry units were using both by German
and Soviet army. As for first I know a few examples, of which I will give
the "biggest" units:

1. 22nd volunteer Cavalry Division of SS ("Maria Theresa") (formed in April
1944 !!)

2. Division of cavalry SS (3rd Hungarian) (
 
3. Volunteer Division of Cavalry SS ("Lutzow") (February 1945)

4. XV Cossack SS Corp. (formed in 1944)

5. During the defense of Bucharest the 8th Division of Cavalry SS ("Florian
Geyer") was destroyed...

6. last but not least:
Polish (yeah - here - once again like a devil from a box :) ) Independent
Cavalry Brigade (!! Formation Large indeed !!) broke through the defenses of
the "Pomeranian Wall" (East Front)...

All the German units are taken from a book of Mr. Gordon Williamson "SS -
Adolf Hitler's Guard" 1994 ...


PS. By my letter I do not want to abuse, nor annoy anyone - if anyone feels
so - then I am very sorry but It was not my intention. I wanted only to
point that beginning of WW2 does not disrupt using horses to fight, nor to
fight against enemy`s cavalry or infantry units...

Sincerely Yours
Tom